Trunk-protector



Patented Oct. 4,1898.

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TRUNK PROTECTOR.

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LE ROY FLETCHER SNAPP, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSAOHUSETTSf TRU NK-PROTECTO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 611,848, dated October 4, 1898.

Application filed October 18, 1897- gerial No. 655 ,548. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, LE ROY FLETCHER SNAPP, of Cambridge, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Trunk-Protectors, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

The object of this invention is to provide a protector for trunks and the like adjustable to various sizes, readily attachable to the trunk upon which it is to be used, and capable of operation in such a manner as to offer no hindrance to opening of the trunk when access is desired to the interior of the latter.

The various features of my invention will be fully illustrated and described in the accompanying drawings and specification and set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows in perspective a trunk provided with a protector constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bottom of the trunk and protector shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of the component parts of one of the corner-pieces, broken away at the top and bottom to permit the drawing to be made on a larger scale. Fig. 4is asimilar view of the upper part of the same cornervpiece with the top member swung back slightly on its hinge. Fig. 5 is a view in detail of an attachment to be described; Fig. 6, a modified form of bunter, while Fig. 7 shows in detail the strap-tightener at the bottom of the trunk in a different position from that illustrated in Fig. 2; and Fig. 8 shows in longitudinal section the bottom strap with its attachments.

In the embodiment of my invention selected for description and illustrated in the drawings Figs. 1 to 5 the preferred form of my protector is shown as applied to a trunk A of ordinary shape and construction, the protecting means being shown as applied in this instance only to the upright edges and the corners, although it is within the spirit of my invention to carry the protection to the horizontal edges as well, if desired.

In carrying out my invention I provide extension angle-pieces which may be adjusted to suit the depth of the trunk and are preferably arranged to present attheir outer ends suitable hunters to cover the corners of the trunk and act as an auxiliary to the hunters usually provided there. of providing for this extensibility and to enable the angle-pieces to be given greater rigidity in adjusted position at each upright edge of the trunkI prefer to utilizeaplurality of telescoping members, usually two in numbera,lower member I) and an upper member c-the latter preferably having a movable upper portion 0, which may be swung back out of the way of the trunk-lid a, when the trunk is to be opened, a hinge 0 serving in this instance to permit such action. As illustrated and preferred, the lower member is the outer and for strength may be flanged, as at b, to embrace the edges of the upper member, which is free to slide up and down therein.

Any suitable means may be used to fasten the members in adjusted position; but I prefer to use some form of slot and set-screw connection to afford the greatest possible flexibility of adjustment, the form shown comprising a slot 12 in the lower member, a hole or series of threaded holes 0- in the upper member, and a draft set-screw c to pass through the slot and enter the hole, when tightened drawing the members together to form a rigid structure. A modified form of connection is shown at the other side of the angle-piece, where one or a series of springcatches on one member are adapted to enter corresponding recesses in the other, in the instance illustrated the catches a being on As a convenient way the upper member and the recesses 19 on the lower, serving as anauxiliary to the more though either may be used separately.

Referring to Fig. 4:, I prefer to provide a staying means intermediate the two portions of the upper member, and to this end have shown the member 0 as having an ear 0, with a knurl or lug o to catch in a hollow or recess in the inside of the members 0, formed, preferably, by drilling a hole 0 through the member. The hinge 0 may be of any con Venient form and'is shown as composed of cooperating curved lips c 0 on the upper and lower portion, respectively.

It is desirable that the lid of the trunk should be given a positive support in addition to its usual bearing on the sides of the trunk, inasmuch as a common form of accident to a trunk is the falling of another trunk on the lid, forcing it down over the sides or telescoping it.

As one form of lid-support I have illustrated an attachment cl. (Best seen in Fig. 5, which is a plan view of one of the corner angle-pieces with the bunter omitted.) In this view the attachment is seen to be a bracketlike structure bent at an angle to fit within the portion a of the angle-piece and comprising a ledge d, to pass between the lid and sides of the trunk to receive and support the lid, and a vertical portion d, provided with suitable attaching means through which it derives support from the member a. Obviously this device could be made in the form of an integral ledge on the member a; but a separate attachment is desirable if provision is to be made for adjustment to lids of different heights. Accordingly as attaching means I have shown aslot and set-screw connection, in this instance the slots 0 being in the member 0 and the set-screws 0 taking into suitable holes (not shown) in the part d of the attachment.

The corner-bunters E may be fastened to the angle-pieces in any suitable manner, as by rivets e, or such a construction as that shown in Fig. 6 may be adopted, the bunter being made integrally with the member 0 which is otherwise similar in construction to the angle-piece member 0.

The bunter part may have a central aperture 0 through which the regular bunter E of the trunk can project to serve its usual function, and, if desired, reinforcements or knurls may be provided for additional protection of the corner.

The extension edge-protectors may be held in place upon the trunk in any suitable manner; but Iprefer to use retaining means which will permit release of all the upper portions at one and the same operation, and as a convenient way of accomplishing this I show a harness connecting the edge-protectors at the top and bottom of the trunk.

The form of harness illustrated comprises corner-straps, of metal, leather, or other suitable material f, one for each corner of the trunk, top and bottom, adjacent straps at the ends, respectively, being connected with each other by metallic loops or rings f which will permit the angle between the straps to change slightly for purposes of adjustment to different sizes of trunk, and this may also be favored in selecting the form of attachment of the straps to the hunters, the rivets f answering for this purpose. The connection of the straps may be completed in any convenient way, as by the single strap f and buckle illustrated intermediate the end rings or unions f It may be found desirable to bind the corner-pieces more tightly and permanently than could be accomplished, perhaps, by the strap and buckle, and power tightening means may be used, one form of which I have shown on the bottom of the trunk, inasmuch as the need of permanency and rigidity is likely to be greater there. This tightening device is in this instance shown as interposed between the bottom loops or rings f and as comprising a power-lever h, (best seen in Fig. 7,) mounted pivotally, preferably on and near one end of the strap f coming from one of the loops or rings, (not shown,) and the lever is adapted to be connected operatively with an oppositely-extended strap, which in the instance illustrated is the other end of the strap f, the ends of this strap being threaded through the loops or rings f (see Fig. 2) and brought together beneath the body portion 1 of the strap by which the lever is protected. The operative connection between the lever and the end of the strap opposite that on which the lever is mounted may conveniently be efiected by piercing the strap with holes f and providing the lever with a suitable projection h to enter any one of these holes that it may be brought opposite. As the lever is swung around to the right the ends of the strap are drawn in opposite directions away from their respective rings and the strap tightened.

I prefer to provide retaining means for the lever to prevent its escape and slackening of the strap, and such means may consist of a projection 7L3, adapted to take into a hole f in the portion of the strap f on which the lever is mounted.

The lever it may be separate from the strap, if desired, since, as it lies between the taut strap portions, its various projections will be held automatically in their respective holes in the strap.

Having thus fully described my invention, I do not limit myself to the specific embodiment illustrated, since the construction of my trunk-protector may be varied to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an extension edgeprotector for trunks, a plurality of telescoping members adapted respectively to embrace the edge to be protected, the uppermost of said members being jointed, substantially as described.

2. In an extension edge-protector for trunks a lower member having a bunter at its inferior extremity, an upper member coopcrating telescopically with said lower member and having a jointed portion carrying a bunter, and a hinge intermediate said upper member and its jointed portion to permit the latter to be swung with its bunter away from the upper corner of the trunk, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an edge brace or protector for trunks, of a lid-supporting at IIO tachment carried by, and adjustable upon, said brace, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a trunk, of a series of extension edge-protectors composed each of two members telescopically arranged, one of said members having a hinged joint, and a series of straps, one connected with a bunter at the upper and lower ends of each of said edgeprotectors, a loop or ring uniting said straps, and connecting means extended lengthwise of. the trunk between said loops or rings, to draw the same tightly together and bind and hold the extension-pieces upon the corners of the trunk, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a' trunk having corner pieces applied thereto, of a set of corner straps connected one each to said corner-pieces, loops or rings connecting said corner-straps, additional straps connected with said loops or rings and extended lengthwise of the trunk, and a strap-tightening device consisting of a lever mounted pivotally on one of said straps near its end, said lever having a lug or projection extended therefrom in one direction to enter a hole in an opposite strap, said lever having a second pin or projection extended therefrom in an opposite direction to also enter a hole in a strap, to thereby retain said lever in its adjusted position to hold the strap tau t, substantially as described.

6. An extension edge-protector for trunks,

the same being composed of a plurality of telescopic members adapted to embrace the edge of the trunk, the uppermost of said members being divided into two parts and joined loosely together by a hinge composed of curved lips interlocked one with the other, substantially as described.

7 An extension edge-protector for trunks, the same being composed of a plurality of telescopic members adapted to embrace the edge of the trunk, the uppermost of said members being divided into two parts and. joined loosely together by a hinge composed of curved lips interlocked one with the other, one part of said two-part member having a lug as c 'to fit behind the end of the other part of the upper member, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LE ROY FLETCHER SNAPP.

Witnesses:

ALEXANDER O. PROUDFIL, FREDERICK L. EMERY. 

